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'Gounder' community seeks ban on 'Gouravam'

The 'Gounder' community in Tamil Nadu has urged the state government to ban Prakash Raj's Tamil-Telugu bilingual production venture " Gouravam", contending that it feared the honour killing story may instigate communal disharmony.

'Gouravam', which features debutant Allu Sirish and Yami Gautam in the lead, is directed by Radha Mohan. The film's tentative release date is April 19.

They have submitted a written petition to the Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam -- avowedly representing the Gounder community and the neglected Kongu region of Tamil Nadu -- which will in turn forward it to the state government.

"In the trailer of the film, released recently, a large group of non-Dalits are shown indulging in honour killing against inter-caste marriage in some part of Tamil Nadu. We fear this may upset the sentiments of several communities in the state and pave way to communal violence," said Manikandan Pongalur, president of Kongu Vellala Goundergal Peravai, a Gounder caste organisation.

"We don't want communities to disturb the harmony in the state over a film and, therefore, have requested the state government to ban the release of the film through our written petition," he added.

Prakash Raj has also acted in the film, which also features Nassar, Elango Kumaravel, Sricharan and Anupama Kumar in its cast. S S Thaman has composed the music of the film.